Flexible pipe connection



June 22 1926 1,589,801

E. H. GOLD Er m.

FLEXIBLE PIPE CONNECTION FiledMaI-ch 17, 1922 l 5 Sheets-SheetV 1 June 22 1926. 1,589,801

E. H. GOLD ET AL FLEXIBLE PIPE CONNECTION -Filed March 17, 1922 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 MUN June 22 ,1926.1 1,589,801

. E.. H. GOLD El AL FLEXIBLE PIPE CONNECTION Filed Marh 1v, 1922 s sheets-sheet s Petented June 22, i926.

vLil-TE4 Fries.

msnm? n. GoLD AND EDWARD n'fnUssEILL, orcHIceediLLINois; SAID RUSSELL AssIoNonTo Veron een nnnfrxne COMPANY; INC., F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A

CORYORA'IION OF NEW YORK.

lslimming PIPE coNNno'rIoN.

Appiveetionled mich 37,1922.' Serial No. 544,448.

Our invention relates to a conduitorl'tubular structure consisting .of metal elements flexibly articulated so as to form 'a fluid tight connection between the trainpipes'of the' ud' '5 jacent curs ot a railroad train to 'take they place of'the rubberhoses ordinarily used for this purpose. The-complete lconnection consist-s, 1n each. case,' of two lflexible structures, one for euch of .the train pipes, tobe connected, tluase structures being coupled together byany suiteblemeans, for example, the cou .lerssuch essere usedwith the rubber hoses eretofore `generally f employed for making this connectiomf f When thelcfirv is'at' the end of the train the pipe connecting structure iatthe rear extremity of the car will, obviously, lieve no meting elementto he coupled with,-,tind in such case i j it is usual to provide on the" end of the car 20. a chainoriordfwi-th 'a'. hookV or like device for engagementwith-thecoupler lto hold the f' same away from the rood bed. Ilthis were notfdone, the connecting structure might be broken or otherwise' damaged loy Contact with the'tie's or other parts of the track or road bed; It happens, however, that the `-truinmen through carelessness frequently fail to hook up the pipe connections at the rear endo'f the train and while the failure to do' V8i) this is likely to cause trouble even when rubher hoses are used, it" is particularly objectionable when the'connection consists of Vunlarticulated metal structure which is rela'- tivcly costly, very flexible, so that it will l5: hang low from the car when'uncoupled, and ofe constructioneasily damaged by Contact with obstructions.l

One of the principal objects'lof this inj yventi'on' is to provide@ simplej'devioe for 't0 permanently supporting the outer end-"of o pipe connecting structure of. the type nientioned and holding the same at. a. safe distance nhove the road bed, in combination with a pipe connecting structure so formed that when thus supported the structure will have requisite iiexibility, first, to permit the engagement and-disengagement of the couplers, and, second, to'ullow the articulated members 'a range 'of movements necessary in order that the connection may accommodate itself tothe movenientslzoifthe cor with re- -rounds curves or passes over inequalities in the track.

The -i vention is. illustrated in a referred l embodiment in4 the accompanying rawings, wherein- A Figi is e view,in elevation, of aiexible connection, constructed Vin4 accordance with our invention, 'ier the steam trainfpipesof cere. y ig.- 2 is"l a ongitudinal sectional view, with the scaleenlarged, of a., portion of the device for holding up the 'lower end ofV one "ot'v the flexible structuresiorming said connection, when uncoupled from the-other such structure. A. y

' Fig. 3 is e. view, in perspective, of another part of the sup orting device..`

Fig. 4' is a ongitudinal sectional view through the upper portion of the structure, 'showing the universal joint constituting the upper articulation.

Fig. 5 is a sectional -plan on line 5--5 of ig. 6 is e longitudinal sectional view of the union or adapter for attachment fof the flexible structure to thetrain pipe.`

.. Fig. '7 is a longitudinal sectionalview illustrating the lower or outer portion of the structure.

- Fig. 8 is a. sectional view on line 8-8 of Fig.' 1.

Fig. 9 is @fragmentary view, in elevation,

y of u modification, and

Figs. 10 and l1 are views, in perspective,

of 4one of the elements of the modified construction.

Fig. l shows the completevconnection as v consisting of two identica-l structures, one

attached to one of the trein pipes and the other attached to the truinpipe of the :idjec'ent car. It will beunderstood, however, that assuming the use of'a standard type of coupler, the connecting device or iienible conduit of our invention might loev coupled Aup with. any sort of connecting device such,

for example,'as the rubber hose type lot connection heretofore commonly used4 upon'fthe steam or nir train pipes of railway cars. i"

The fieikiblc metallic conduitv struct-urges shown inthe drawings, consists of the fol# i lowing parts: a socket member secured .by a union or adapter 11 (Fig. 6) to theend the upper end of which is screwed a straight fitting 14 terminating in a ball 15 which enters the socket nieinlier 10. 'lo the lower end of the tubular member 123 is similarly attached an elbow fitting 16 terminating in 'a ball 17 which extends into a socket ineiiiljer 18 (Fig. T), the latter, having connected thereto .by "ican' ofl a union 19, a coupler 20 preferably of one of the standard types .used forniakingthe connections between railway train pipes. vWe have shown in the `drawings a. common form of gravity hose coupler adaptedto be engaged with and disiengaged from a mating coupler by a rocking movement. y

The upper end of the intermediate element 13, 14, 16 is articulated with the fired socket member 10 preferably by an arrangement which permits universal angular movement.

of the intermediate member, within certain limits, together with a swiveling or rotary movement of the intermediate member on its central longitudinal axis. The arrangements forgiving this species of articulation are preferably as follows: 21 is a ring into which are fitted a pair of diametrically ,disposed bushings 22 preferably of brass or bronze.y

These bushings have closed, preferably conical, ends 23 and have a'threaded engagement Withthe ring so that when worn they may be readily replaced. 24 is a yoke having an annular neck 25 swiveled on the tit-ting 14 against a rib 26 thereof. Screwed into the. ends of yoke 24 are a pair of preferably hard steel pivot studs 27 having smooth end portions 28 closely fitting into the bushings 22. Preferably the studs are formed each with a central lubricant duct 29 and with radiall preferably construct-ed like the pivot studs 27, bushings, corresponding to the bushings 22 being preferably arranged in the bosses l32 to receive the ends of the pivot studs.

The socket member 18 is articulated with the lower end of the intermediate element 13, 14, 16, by an arrangement ywhich permits angular movement of the socket member on one axis only, together with a rotary or yswiveling movementl as in the case of the` upper joint. This-articulation is made up as follows: A yoke 34, having a collar 35 rotatably mounted on the iitting 16 against a shoulder 36 thereon, is pivoted by means of a pair of horizontally arranged pivot studs 37 to the socket member 1S.

he two ball andv socket joints above' described are made leak proof by means of arrangements as follows, reference being made particularly to the upper joint detailed in Fig. l: 38 is .agasket made preferably of rubber composition arranged within socket member 10 and against and between the inl ner surface of the socket member and the outer surface ofthe ball 15. This gasket is forced into place by coiled spring 39 bearing against a metal follower 40 which projects into the gasket. 'llie socket. member is formed near its lower edge, internally, with groovein which is located a pac-hing ringduiy 41, the purpose of which is to prevent dust,

dirt. cinders and the like froin entering between the ball and socket. The lowerjoint, as shown in Fig. 7, is provided with similar arrangements, the parts being given corresponding reference numerals.

Preferably the tubular member 13 is covered with a heat insulating cover 42 fitting between heads L3 and held in place by clamping straps 44. e

'The lower or' outwardly extending portion of the flexible structure. that is to say, the element carrying the coupler 20. is provided with' supporting means for holding it up f ronithe track when its coupler is not in engagement with a mating coupler. This supporting means is so constructed and arranged as to allow the flexibility at the articulations of the conduit structure requisitefor coupling and uncoupling the same and for giving the structure the capacity to adapt itself to the relative shifting movements vof the cars between' which the connection is located. '.,The ends of the adjacent ears of a railway train may risc and fall, one with respect to the other, may be displaced angnlarly oney from another, and in the startiiiur up and topping of the train, may recede from and aj'iproach one another- In fact, these movements may he combined and it has been one of the problems in providing an all metal substitute for the ruhy.

ber hoses commonly used for connecting the train pipe ol' a railway train. to design a structure made up of rigid parts articulated movements of the car' are provided for Without bringing` any part of the structure close to the track. Vhe'n'one of these liexibleV structures, however, is not ineoupl'ed relation with another such structure (or equivalent element), as will be the case at the end of the train, the structure will sag back-` wardly and downwardly the parts flexing on the axes of pivot studs Q7 and 37 so that the'coupler 20 is likely tol drag along the track. To prevent this a chain or-other lexible member is provided which extends from the outer end of the structure to the lupper or fixed endthereot or to some fixed oint on the car adjacent thereto. Except or extreme movements of the cars, particularly movements otono ear away from the other,` it will be possible to use a lnon-extensible chain provided that the chain is arranged to extend in the diagonaldirection as shown in the drawings. Preferably, howments of the cars, the supporting member is madeso that it will'stretch to acertain extent under stress developed by. the relative.

movement ofthe cars. .The supporting mem# her is preferably composed,` with this in view, of twoflinks or sections of chain 45, 46 between which is interposedl a coiled spring 47'adapted to be put under. compression yby a longitudinal pull on'the chains. The chain section 45 engages an eyelet 48 formed on a shank 49 having a head 50 bearing against' the coiled spring 47'which is arranged in a casing,r 51, through the head 52 olf which the shank 49 passes, the casing being formed with an eye 53 attached to the chain section v46.A The lower end of the Achain section 45 engages an eye 54 on the union 19. The upper end ol. chain section 46 is preferably attached to the fixed erupper portion of the flexible structure effectively, therefore, to the body of the car. n the arrangement shown in Figs. l and 4, chain. 46 engages an eye 55 on an annular member 56 which is swiveled on the socket member 10. This arrangement is to -make possible a permanent or undetachable connection oli' the chain or equivalent element 46 to the flexible structure without interference with the assembly of said structure on the car.

All of the lflexible structure, includingV thel supporting chain device, but not including vtbe adapter ll. may be manufactured as a unit. The adapter is screwed into the end' valve l2. The flexible structure 1s then attached'to the adapter, with the annular member 56- in place, by rotating the socket member 10 which can turn through the annular member 564 and also upon the ball member 14, l'because of lthes ivel'ed relation'betvveen yoke'24 and such ball member.

In Figs. 9', 10 and 11 wehave shown a modified arrangement for supporting,r Athe outer end of the flexible' pipe connection.

The. socket member,- designatedl 10, is

formed "with a' perforated lu 57 to receive a hook -58 on the end of a link. 59. This hook is approximately4 spiral inits shape, theend 60 eing bent around as shown particularly in Figs. 10 and 11. The hook is not enga ed with lug 57 until the flexibl'e'struc- `ture as been assembled on the car. The engagement betweenthe hook andflug 57 is made by raising the outer end ofthe flexible structure sopas to slack the connector. The peculiar configuration of the hookprevents the hook from being accidentally disengaged. It cannot be disengaged either accidentally or intentionally while the coupler 29 is..coupled up with the mating coupler. Anothervlipk (lrconnects the shank 49 of the expanslble device with member 19 of the 'pipe connection (not shown in Fig. 10 but ...on the other drawings).

ever, in order-to make certain .the accommodation of the connection to all possible move-4 nection in common use vin this situation, by

the usual manipulations vof the coupler heads. 'If-the couplers are. of the so-called gravity type, as shown in the drawings, the i flexible .structure willl'ilex on vthe axes of pivotpins 27 and 37 to allow the forward end of the coupler to be tilted upwardly and downwardly to allow vthe cams of one coupler to ride over those4 of .the other; The swiveled relation of yoke 34 allows the vertical faces of the mating couplers to be accurately fitted one against the other. even though t-he end valves may not bc set accurately at the same angle on their respective train pipes. Any necessary lateral movement of the lower'pa-rt of the flexible structure is provided for by the universal movement of the upper articulation. The position of the supporting; member 45,746, 47 allows ordinarily relative movements as between the cars. In other words, it does not interfere with the necessary flexibility of the connection under 'ordinary service conditions. ment of separation between the cars` involving a. stress on thersupporting member, the l latter can elongate because of the interposiltion in the chain sections 45. 46 of the coinpression 'spring47. Vlicn the flexible strnclture is not coupled up with a mating' element, as willfbe the case atthe end of the In case of an extreme movel train, the trainman does not have to hook up the end of the structure to the car. The supporting member is always in place ready for use when required. The construction 'of the flexible pipe connection, considered by itself, is not claimed herein, being made the subject matter of' a divisional application filed March`18.-1926, Serial No. 95,805, this application being confined to the supporting device in combination with a flexible pipe'conneetion ofthe type illustrated.

I claim:

1. In a flexible metallic conduit structure for making the connection between the train pipes on adjacent cars of a railway train, the combination of a tubular element Jsecured to the car. a tubular element angularly disposed with respect thereto and provided with a coupler Aand an intermediate tubular element articulated with said other elements by flexible joints, an anchoring device rotatively arranged on said first named tubular element. and a flexible supporting member extending from said anchoring der vice to the tubularelement having the coupler.

Q. In a flexible metallic conduit. structure for making the connection belwccn the. train pipes on adjacent cars of' a railway train, the combination of a. plurality of tubular .elements flexibly articulated by joints allowing rotation of the elements on axes lengthwise ofthe structure, the element at one end'of the structure being attached to the car and the element at the. other end provided with a coupler, a flexible member extending betweenl and attached to said last two specified elements. one of said attachments comprising a member rotatively arranged on the element with which it is associated. Y v

il. In a flexible. metallic conduit structure for making the connection between the train pipes of railway cars, the combination with the end valvel of the car of an angular adapter Secured tothe end valve, a socket member secured to theyadapter. a ring pivoted to said socket member, a ball member extending into the socket member, a yoke swiveledon the ball member, the ends of which are pivoted to the ring on an axis at right angles to the aforesaid pivotal conn ections,v a'straight, substantially vertical,

' tubular member secured to the ball. member,

a right angled tubular fitting secured to the lower end of said tubular element and providedwith a ball. a socket member provided with a coupler, a yoke swiveled on vsaid last named hall member-and connected with said last named socket member by a single pair of diametrically arranged pivots, a. supporting member for the socket member carrying the coupler comprising two chain sections, one attached to said socket member and the other to the socket member fixed to the adapter, and a spring arranged to be put under compression by al pull as between said chain sections.

4. In a flexible metallic conduit structure for 'making a connection between the trairi pipes on adjacent cars of a railway train, the combination of a tubular element adapted to be fixedly mounted on the car, a` second tubular element extending downwardly from a'nd flexibly articulated with the first tubular element, a third tubular element flexibly articulated with the Second named element-and projecting outwardly from the lower end thereof and provided with a coupling member, and supporting means for said last mentioned tubular element adapted to' hold it in substantially the same position when .uncoupled as when coupled with a mating conduit. structure, comprising flexible members connected with the first andy last named tubular elements respectively and having an interlockled sliding connection with one another, and a spring interposed in saidvconnection and arranged to be compressed by a stress tending to pull one of said members in the direction away .from the other.

5. In a flexible metallic conduit structure for making a connection between the train pipes on adjacent cars of a railway train, the combination of a tubular element adapted tol be fixedly mounted on the car, a second. tubular element extending downwardly from and flexibly articulated with the first named tubular element, a third tubular element flexibly articulated with the second named element and projecting outwardly from the lower end thereof and provided with coupling means, and supporting means 'for said last named element adapted to hold it in substantially the same position when uncou'pled as when coupled with a mating conduit structure, comprising an anchoring member mounted on the firstnamed tubular member a'nd having an outwardly projecting arm, flexible members connected with this arm and with the third mentioned tubular member respectively, and a spring interposed between said ilexible members.

6. In a flexible metallic conduit structure for making a connection between the train pipe and adjacent cars ot' a railroad train, a conduit member flexibly articulated with the car so as to hang downwardly, a conduit member flexibly articulated with the lower end of the downwardly :extending conduit member and projecting outwardly therefrom, and 'a flexible siipporting element comprising a longitudinally resilient member, which supporting element is connected at one end to said outwardly extend-- ing conduit member and anchored at its other end to the car at a point outwardly ot' the articulation thereto of said downwardly extending member.

aiibleinetal-lie conduit structure or. making 'a connection between the train lPipes ongadjeent-cars of a railroad train,

' .a conduit member flexibly articulated with the vear so'as tofhang downwardly, a conduit member flexiblyl articulated with the lower` end ,of .the downwardly 'extending member and "projecting jout-wardly 'therefrom und a flexible supporting element connected at one jend vto thejoutwardly extending. conduit. I mexnber and anchored at its other end to the caratv a point outwardly of the articulation 'theretq'pfisaid Vdownwurdly extending con- 'jduit meliiber, vs aidelement 15s l sizbstantially, the weiglitof said out- Y comprising .'a springoefenen-'stillness that it is notstressed,

if, making' acnne'etionbetween the trainj .pipes onadjacent cars 'of a railroad train, a conduit member flexibly articulated with the ear so as to hang downwardly, a conduit member flexibly articulated with the lower end of the downwardly extending conduit member and projecting outwardly there'- fronl, and a flexible supporting element connected at one end to the outwardly extending conduit member and anchoredl at its other end to the ear at a point outwardly of the articulation thereto of said downwardly extending:r conduit member, 'said element comprisiiugr u spring arranged to 'be colnpressed by a downward movement of 'said outwardly extending eonduitmember but' of sueh stiffness as notto be stressed, substantially, by theweiglit ofsaid outwardly projecting conduit member when uneoupled. EGBERTVH. GOLD.

EDWARD A. RUSSELL. 

